The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is urging motorists to make safety a priority when they’re behind the wheel, especially in areas where oil and gas activity often brings increased traffic and large trucks to rural areas and adjacent communities. In 2020, nearly 70,000 crashes occurred in the state’s five major energy production areas — the Permian Basin, Eagle Ford Shale, Barnett Shale, Anadarko Basin and Haynesville/Bossier Shale — resulting in 932 fatalities. Failure to control speed and driver inattention were the top reasons for crashes in these areas. TxDOT offers these tips when driving in energy-production areas: ■Drive a safe speed, accounting for ...